Southwick election draws 3% of voters

Town Clerk Michelle Hill, who said she always strives for high turnout, said that’s 3% of voters.

There was only one contested race, however, Hill had hoped more people would vote to test the town’s new voting machines.

“It was pretty uneventful,” Hill said of the election and use of the new machines. “We actually wanted it to be eventful so that in March, when we expect a lot of voters for the presidential race, we would have any problems worked out.”

The town spent about $8,000 on Tuesday’s election. Hill said costs include 17 workers and police detail at approximately $4,000, machine related costs of $2,500, $1,500 for ballots, and a few hundred dollars on miscellaneous supplies.

When the cost is broken down per voter, the town spent around $31 per voter Tuesday.

The one contested seat – a five-year term on the Southwick Housing Authority, was won by Elizabeth G. Malone. She defeated competitor Sean P. Langan with 134-112 votes.

All other candidates won their seats, including Joseph Deedy to a three-year term on the Southwick Select Board, David M. Deidolori and Michael J. Massarelli to the parks and recreation commission, Jonathan Schantz to a three-year term on the regional school committee, Dean J. Horacek to a three-year term on the board of assessors, Norman Albert Boucher to a three-year term as a cemetery commissioner, Kelli L. Deidolori to the Dickinson School Trustees, Edward C. Johnson to a three-year term on the water commission, Tammy L. Clark-Bissaillon and Carol A. Geryk to the Southwick Public Library Board of Trustees, Davis M. Sutton to the planning board, Jean Nilsson to the board of health and Kelly Magni and William Terry Jr. were elected town constables.